


Oh Brother

by lasersheith



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, canon lance has been exiled and replaced with fanon lance, lance loses a bet, me a salty petty bitch? it's more likely than you think, minor side ship: Matt/Allura, one-sided kl, shiro is hurt but he ends up ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-12
Packaged: 2019-05-17 23:21:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14841161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lasersheith/pseuds/lasersheith
Summary: What do you do when your boyfriend is in the hospital and they only let in immediate family? Lie and say you’re married? Not if you’re Keith, you don’t. Thanks to Keith’s inner turmoil, he and Shiro are stuck pretending to be brothers while he recovers. But Keith has to admit, “Mr. Shirogane” has a nice ring to it.





	1. Chapter 1

Waking up next to Shiro still hadn't become mundane or boring, even after so long. Keith still cherished the few minutes every morning he always spent just _looking_ at him. His wild hair, fluffed and scattered from rolling around on the pillow all night, the way his lips were just barely parted as he breathed deeply while he slept, the silly configurations their arms and legs ended up tangled in, Keith still appreciated every detail.

He tried to slip out of bed without waking him, but Shiro was, as always, a light sleeper. He laughed as Shiro grabbed him and pulled him tightly to his chest, placing a kiss to the junction where neck met shoulder. “Nope, too early. You can't leave.” He murmured into Keith's heated skin.

“C’mon Shiro, I gotta get to work.” He replied fondly. It was a game they played often.

Shiro tugged him around and planted himself on top of Keith's smaller frame. “You should just quit.” He said with a seriousness that had Keith chuckling again.

He leaned down to press soft kisses across Keith's collarbones and Keith almost let him. “Well unless you found a sugar daddy that I don't know about, we both need our jobs.” He finally groused, pushing Shiro's head away from his chest.

Shiro's blinding grin still made his heart melt. “Oh man, that's a great idea. I should put an ad out or something.” He teased as he finally relented and let Keith get up to get dressed. “Hot young paralegal seeking an older gentleman to fund his extravagant lifestyle.”

Keith threw a pillow at him as he laughed. He pulled on his least wrinkled suit as Shiro walked into their bathroom, pressing another kiss to his lips on his way to the shower. When they'd first moved in together Keith forced himself to become a night-showerer due to how often they were both late to work from either sleeping in too long and having to wait for the water to heat up again or getting distracted from trying to share.

He smiled at the thought as he struggled with his tie. It faded quickly when he saw the small black box sitting on their shared dresser. Their fifth anniversary had been the weekend before and in that box was an object that Keith feared much more than its tiny packaging warranted. A ring.

_“It's not a no. God, I'm so sorry. I'm just… I'm not ready Shiro.” His face burned with tears he refused to shed._

_Shiro smiled sadly at him. “It's ok, baby. I don't need a ring or a piece of paper to prove that I'm yours forever. I shouldn't have sprung this on you out of nowhere.” He was still holding one of Keith's hands, but he'd placed the box on their dresser so he could take the other._

_Keith wanted to say a thousand things. “Thank you.” “I don't know if I'll ever be ready.” “I still keep waiting for you to leave.” “Yes.” The thoughts all warred in his mind. He didn't voice any of them, just stepped forward into Shiro's chest and buried his face into the soft fabric of his shirt._

He grabbed the box and put it in Shiro's sock drawer so he wouldn't have to look at it as his eyes misted over. He'd just tie his stupid tie when he got to the office.

He started the coffee maker and threw his laptop back into his bag along with the lunch Shiro had made him the night before while he made his own. It was just a turkey sandwich and a bag of veggies to munch on, but the thoughtfulness still had his throat tightening uncomfortably. He burned his tongue drinking the coffee too fast.

Shiro was just finishing in the shower when Keith went in to brush his teeth. “Your coffee’s on the dresser.” He said around a mouth full of foam as Shiro toweled off.

He came up behind Keith and kissed his temple. “You're too good to me.” He said with a grin, pinching Keith's butt on the way out. He laughed at Keith's startled squeak. Keith didn't wipe the spray of toothpaste off the mirror in petty revenge.

He thought about Shiro on the entire ride to work. It was only 20 minutes but sometimes 20 minutes on a bus felt like a lifetime. Shiro had a much farther drive to work, so Keith didn't mind him using their only car to commute.

 _Their car._ The words stuck in his head. _Their apartment. Their life._ They were already basically married, Keith tried to reason with himself. Both of their names were on the lease, they shared a phone plan, a car, and a savings account. Even still, he couldn't shake the feeling that Shiro would wake up one day and just… leave. Just like his parents had. Like his uncle. Like every other boyfriend he'd ever had.

He shook his head and skipped to the next song on his playlist, a happier one. Shiro wouldn't do that. He _knew_ Shiro wouldn't do that. But sometimes knowing and believing just weren't the same. He sighed. It was going to be a long day.

The morning proved him right as he sat down at his desk with a sigh. He didn't even get a chance to fully recover from his awful, hour long, stand-up meeting right after walking in the door. The phone call he got at 9:13am was the worst thing he'd ever experienced. Matt's ill-concealed panic hadn't helped. “Keith, I really need you to not freak out about what I'm about to tell you.”

He took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. “Starting that way really doesn't help your case, but I'm sitting down, so go for it.” The ten long seconds of quiet grated on Keith's already shot nerves.

“Shiro was in an accident. He's at Altea General getting prepped for surgery.” Keith's mind buzzed with static. “Keith? He's ok. He's gonna be ok, it's probably just a complication with the prosthetic. Pidge and I are already on the way, do you want us to pick you up?” He blinked and cleared his throat.

“No, I'll get a taxi. See you there.” He hung up without saying goodbye.

Luckily Keith's boss was extremely understanding. He'd been working under Kolivan for 4 years now and they had an excellent rapport. The man had even offered to drive Keith there himself so he wouldn't have to wait for a taxi to show up. Keith accepted his offer nearly in tears of gratitude.

Kolivan drove a little faster than was strictly legal, but he was at least very safe about it. Keith was thankful for his haste. They were at the hospital in less than an hour. “Thank you so much, really. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.” He said as he got out of the car.

Kolivan nodded. “Go take care of Shiro. I'll approve your leave when I get back to the office. Take as long as you need.” Keith nodded through watery eyes and couldn't find his voice to reply. He patted the door after he closed it.

Rushing into the main waiting area, he saw both Holts right away. “Matt! Pidge! How is he?” Keith asked frantically.

They both looked pale. “He's ok. I'm sure he's ok, Keith, breathe.” Matt answered, grabbing onto Keith's shoulders. Keith took in a deep, shuddering breath. “They won't let us back even though I'm Shiro's emergency contact.” Matt explained.

Pidge frowned and glared at the receptionist. “It's immediate family only apparently. As if Shiro isn't our brother just because we're not blood. Jerks.” She grumbled.

Keith panicked. They might not let him back just being Shiro's boyfriend. This was a nightmare. He shook his head and thanked his friends before striding up to the counter. He put a little bit of a lilt to his voice, hoping the receptionist was too oblivious to notice the obvious discrepancy between a sloppy Korean accent done by a half-Texan and Shiro's 100% Japanese name. “Hi, excuse me.” He said, brows furrowing.

The lady looked up. “How can I help you, sir?” She seemed bored and disinterested. Both worked in his favor.

“I'm looking for my brother. Shirogane Takashi?” He said hopefully.

She scrolled through her computer. “Hmm I don't see him, are you sure he’s here?” Her gum popped loudly.

He faltered a little before realizing what she must have done. “Oh, apologies. It's probably under Takashi Shirogane.” He bowed his head a little and immediately felt stupid. He was playing it up too much, time to step back a bit.

She didn't look any more enthused as she scrolled again. “Oh ok. He's in surgery right now, but they'll take him to ICU recovery 4 once he's out. Should be like… half an hour?” He nodded. “Here's a pass, elevator's down the hall to the right. 3rd floor.” She popped her gum loudly again.

He took the badge quickly. “Thanks.” He blurted out, accent completely dropped. She didn't notice in the slightest. It was hard not to run to the elevator.

His phone pinged in his pocket and he fished it out to look at it. He opened Matt's text as the doors shut. “Can you be racist against yourself? Is that what I just witnessed?”

Rolling his eyes, he originally just replied with a middle finger emoji, but decided to elaborate so Matt wasn't worried. “Shut up it worked didn't it? They can kick me out for lying after I make sure Shiro's ok.” He typed out with a frown.

The doors dinged and he made his way up to the next waiting room. The nurse was a bigger guy, very friendly looking, and smiled at him as he approached. “Hi there. Pass please.” He said in greeting.

Keith handed over the small plastic rectangle as his heart thudded. “The lady at the front desk said he was almost done in surgery?” He asked, trying to keep the swell of emotion in his chest from bubbling out.

The nurse smiled. “Don't worry, Mr. Shirogane. Your brother's gonna be just fine. He's in totally amazing hands and I'll call you up right away when he gets brought to a recovery room.” His soft brown eyes did help Keith feel a little more content.

He peered at the name tag clipped to the front pocket of the man's scrubs. “Thanks, Hunk. I appreciate it.” He took his badge back and sat down in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs.

 _Mr. Shirogane_ He repeated in his head. He realized that he hadn't told Shiro that he loved him that morning. He couldn't stop himself from wondering how close he'd gotten to never being able to tell him again.

Hunk called out “Mr. Shirogane?” before he had a chance to delve too deeply into the black pit of that particular train of thought.

Hunk led him to room 4 and had him wash his hands before letting him inside. “We had to remove the prosthesis, and he needed a lot of stitches, but he'll be back to normal in no time.” He said with a smile.

Keith's eyes watered as soon as he saw Shiro's sleeping face. It was a little bruised and there was a bandage across the bridge of his nose, but he was breathing and the heart monitor was beeping steadily. It was too much. “Sorry, can we have a minute?” He asked, voice hoarse with emotion.

Hunk smiled at him. “Sure, sure. One sec.” He copied down a few readings onto his tablet and checked under a few of the bandages on Shiro's right flank. “Ok, he's all yours. The doc will be here in a few minutes to give you the full details.”

Keith thanked him as he left, shutting the door behind him. Immediately Keith was at Shiro's side, careful to avoid the IV poking out of his left hand as he squeezed it. He let a few tears slide down his cheeks as he pressed his lips to Shiro's forehead. “I love you.” He whispered. “I love you so much.” He tried not to sob.

Shiro was ok. He'd be fine. He'd been through worse. His old prosthetic arm was starting to lose charge too quickly anyway, he was due for an upgrade, Keith told himself as he tried to contain his mixture of anguish and relief.

Shiro's eyes fluttered open slowly as Keith held his hand and tried to keep more tears from flowing. “Hey, baby.” He whispered. “What happened?” He asked as his addled brain caught up.

Keith choked back a sob. “You got in a wreck. I don't know anything else. Your arm got mangled, though.” Shiro sat up a little and winced, squeezing Keith's hand.

“Mmm… stupid kid texting. Didn't see the light change.” He mumbled as his eyes slid shut. “Hope he's ok.” Keith shook his head. Of course Shiro would be worried about the idiot that almost killed him.

Before he could answer, the doctor strode in. She had a shock of poofy platinum hair loosely contained in an elastic and a comforting smile that put Keith at ease right away. “Mr. And Mr. Shirogane, I'm your surgeon, please call me Allura.” She greeted with a smile.

Shiro eyed Keith with amused suspicion and blinked his tired eyes at her. “Well, I'd say nice to meet you, but…” He smiled at his own bad joke.

She chuckled as she looked at his readings. “No offense taken.” She assured. “Good news first: we were able to save the port, so as soon as you can get back to your specialist they should have no trouble attaching a new prosthetic.”

Keith blew out a puff of air. He'd met Shiro before he'd been able to get fitted with a new arm and knew how much it meant to him to have it. That was definitely good news.

Shiro nodded groggily. “And the bad news?” He asked gravely.

Allura made a noncommittal gesture. “I'd like to keep you here until the sutures in your side and at the edges of the port are ready to come out. It shouldn't be more than a week, but it depends on how well you heal.” Shiro groaned. “I know, I know. But if you end up with an infection you might damage your chances of being able to support a new arm as high tech as your old one.” She explained patiently.

Keith squeezed his hand. “He'll stay as long as he needs to.” He assured her.

She smiled at him and then glanced back at her chart. She frowned at what she saw there, perplexed. “Well, if you need anything just let me or one of the nurses know. They'll be around to check up on you in a bit.”

They both nodded to her as she headed out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shoutout to The Squad for fueling my salt and @happysheith on tumblr for betaing! 
> 
> I promise chapter 3 is sweeter rather than saltier and has that good soft sheith content

Allura squinted at her chart in the hallway. There was no first name written for the man that had been in the room with her patient, only the surname Shirogane and the box for “brother” ticked on the screen. Perhaps Hunk or the receptionist had ticked the wrong box by accident? Husband was written clear across the man’s face, but it was unlike Hunk to make mistakes. She headed back to the nurse's station with a frown.

“Hunk, do you have a moment?” He put his tea down and looked away from his conversation with Lance.

“Sure, doc. What can I help you with?” He said with a smile.

She always appreciated Hunk's opinion, not just because he was incredibly smart, but also because he had the habit of not holding back what he really thought. “What do you make of the Shirogane, um, brothers?” She asked with a cringe.

Hunk laughed. “Oooh man. Massive West Virginia vibes if they're really related. 100%.” Allura sighed with relief.

“It's none of our business and don't you dare get us sued by asking, but I'm so glad I'm not the only one who noticed.” She said with a harried chuckle.

Lance looked between them “What are you guys talking about?” He asked, confusion apparent on his features.

Hunk pointed to room 4, down the hall. “That car crash from this morning? A dude came in to see the guy that we patched up and said they were brothers but they're totally not. Or at least I really hope not. Their parents have A LOT of explaining to do if they are.” He explained.

Lance rolled his eyes. “You guys are so dramatic. He's probably just freaked out! When Luis broke his collarbone, I was attached to his hip for weeks. You just don't understand brotherly love.”

Allura and Hunk cringed at each other. “Dude, you haven't seen them. Major goo-goo eyes. For real.” Hunk protested.

“I agree with Hunk, you didn't see their faces when they looked at each other. I assumed they were married until I looked at the authorized visitors section of his chart.” Hunk nodded along with Allura as she spoke.

Lance shook his head. “I'll go in and check on them when he's due, give you the actual expert scoop on things.” He said with a smirk.

Hunk and Allura exchange skeptical glances. “I trust you to work out your own rotations. Keep me apprised of anything you need for the patients.” She had elected to ignore his comment for her own peace of mind as she walked out.

..

It was quiet in the room after the doctor left. The words _Mr. and Mr. Shirogane_ played over and over again in Keith's mind. He knew he should explain it, the look on Shiro's face was patient but expectant, and Keith was dreading dashing his hopes. He knew how it sounded. He thought about the box he'd hastily stuffed in Shiro's sock drawer that morning. It felt like a lifetime ago.

“She called you Mr. Shirogane.” Shiro finally broke their silence with a shy smile. “Did you, uh.” He licked his lips and cleared his throat. “Did you tell them we were married?” He asked, the hope in his voice palpable and heartbreaking.

Keith sighed and buried his head in his hands. “No.” He squeaked out miserably. He couldn't explain why he'd gone with the cover story he did. He couldn't get the words to form correctly. Couldn't explain why the thought of _having_ Shiro paralyzed him with the fear of _losing_ him. “I said we were brothers.” He sounded pitiful, even to himself.

Shiro's eyebrows shot up and the movement pulled at the bandage on his face, making him wince. “Baby… why?” He asked, the pain slowly creeping in as the last of the anesthetic wore off.

Keith looked up at him with watery eyes. “I panicked.” He mumbled out. It wasn't a lie, he'd been panicking since 9:13am. Even seeing Shiro alive and mostly well hadn't done much to still the rapid beating of his heart.

“C’mere.” Shiro whispered, holding up his left arm and ignoring the tug of the IV. Keith stood up and melted into his side, burying his flushed face in Shiro's scratchy hospital gown.

Keith sniffled lightly through his tears. “I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be comforting you.” He mumbled.

Shiro kissed the top of his head. “It's enough just having you here.” He answered without hesitation. Keith's heart pounded even harder. “But we're gonna have to cool it with the PDA if we want them to buy our story.” He said with an amused chuckle.

Keith groaned and scrubbed at his red eyes. “Yeah, probably for the best.” He admitted with a shy smile.

..

Lance headed into the room marked Shirogane, Takashi with a tray of the least horrible hospital food he could find. “Hi there,” he said as he walked in with a bright smile. “You must be Takashi, I'm Lance.” He set the tray down on the counter and unfolded the complicated mechanism to pop out the retractable shelf on the side of the bed.

Shiro watched as he finished and set the tray on the new shelf. “Good to meet you, Lance. Pretty much everyone calls me Shiro.” He replied with a smile of his own, far less bright and tinged with an edge of discomfort.

“You got it, Shiro.” Lance flashed another grin, looking over at him to make sure he was properly situated for lunch. He finally noticed Keith slouching in the chair next to the bed, arms crossed and brows furrowed. “Well, hello. Who might you be?” He asked, a flirtatious lilt to his voice that had Keith instantly on edge.

Keith stared up at him blankly. “Keith…” Shiro muttered out with a chuckle.

He sighed. “I'm Keith. Shiro's bo- er. Brother.” His face turned pink and he looked away, not wanting to meet Shiro's eyes. It wasn't the best start to their ruse, he had to admit.

“Well I'm sure Takashi will be just fine since he has an _angel_ looking out for him.” Lance replied giving Keith a wink.

Shiro barked out a laugh that he concealed quite badly as a cough, wincing as he took a bite of his lunch. The IV line tugged at his already sore hand.

Keith was out of his chair right away, holding the line up so he could eat more comfortably. “Thanks, baby.” Shiro looked up at Keith's wide eyes and quickly amended his statement. “Bro.” He coughed again and spooned more mashed potato mush into his mouth.

Lance thankfully didn't appear fazed by Shiro's awkward endearment. “Here let me clip that so you don't have to hold it the whole time.” He offered with a charming smile, pulling a clothes pin out from the pocket of his scrubs. He looped one end of the tube up and over the back of the bed, clipping it into place. “That should keep it from pulling, and you can just unclip it when you're done if it's still uncomfortable.”

Shiro smiled at him gratefully. “Thanks, Lance. I appreciate it.”

Lance grinned. “Sure thing, new favorite patient.” He said with another wink at Keith. “Hit the call button when you're done and I'll grab your tray. Don't wait too long, I want to make sure you get some pain meds once you have something in your stomach.” He gestured to Shiro's right side. “All that's gonna be really sore when the local wears off.” He added with a wince.

Shiro chuckled a little. “Yeah it's getting there already. I'll be sure to call.”

Satisfied, Lance nodded and headed back out of the room.

“God, it's a good thing you're so hot.” Shiro said with a cheeky grin as soon as the door shut. Keith sputtered and frowned at him. “We both totally would have blown that if the nurse hadn't instantly been in love with you.”

Keith's face turned bright red again and he slumped back into his chair. “Shut up and eat your peas.” He mumbled, looking out the window.

..

Lance walked back to the nurse's station and put a hand on Hunk's shoulder. “I just got back from room 4.” He said smugly.

Hunk raised an eyebrow. “So you admit that Allura and I were right and they're totally _not_ brothers? And for some reason… you're happy about it?” He asked, equal parts confusion and disgust on his face.

Lance scoffed. “What are you talking about? They're totally, 100% brothers. I would bet anything on that.”

At the word _bet_ Hunk's expression turned devious. “Oh really? _Anything?”_ He asked.

Lance waved a hand dismissively. “Definitely.” He answered, confidence oozing from his lips.

Hunk smiled serenely. “Allura's gonna want in on this. We'll wait for her lunch break to decide on the terms.” He made a note on his tablet.

“You’re on!” Lance stuck out his hand to shake on it.

Hunk took it and pumped once with a grin, turning back around to fill his tray for his next patient. “Gramma forgive me,” he said, looking up at the ceiling, “I'm going to enjoy this _so_ much.” He muttered under his breath with guilty delight.

..

Half an hour later, Shiro pressed the call button. He hated bothering people, especially nurses, but the pain in his side rapidly turned from stinging but manageable to agonizing before he'd had a chance to process it. Keith was pale with worry.

Luckily Hunk was swift to answer the call. “Hello Shiroganes.” He called happily as he entered, knocking as he did so. He smiled at both of them as he saw Keith sitting close to Shiro's side, hand around his wrist. He must have dragged the chair closer to the bed so they could be within arm's reach. It was pretty cute, he had to admit.

“I brought the good stuff for you, Takashi. Downside, you'll probably be on a very long trip to snooze town, but at least you won't be miserable.” He walked over behind Shiro's bed and brought out a pre-filled syringe. “Excuse me, Keith.” He said with a pleasant smile.

Keith stood up and moved down the bed, hand resting on Shiro's ankle over the blanket. “Sorry.” He mumbled out as he watched Hunk work.

Only a few seconds after he'd flipped the chamber, Shiro's face softened. The hard edge of the pain slipped away and he blinked as he tried to stay conscious. “Don't fight it, buddy. Have a nice nap. You deserve it.” Hunk patted Shiro's shoulder as he moved back around to clean up the lunch tray.

Keith smiled and patted his leg. “I'm not goin’ anywhere Shiro. Just get some rest.” He reassured. “I'll be here when you wake up.”

Hunk cleared his throat. “Don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything.” He said with a warm smile. Keith nodded at him in thanks.

Hunk chuckled as he walked, wondering if he should make Lance wear Karen's awful Valentine's day scrubs with the kitties and hearts all over them? Or something even more embarrassing, like singing a cheesy love song for the very obvious lovers, while all of the nursing staff and doctors watched, of course. Maybe both?

..

Keith tried to rest in the chair for the few hours Shiro slept, but it was hard and uncomfortable and he was still worried. The chance of infection was a scary thought. At least he knew Shiro was safe for now. He pulled out his phone to an absurd number of calls and texts from both Holt siblings. He frowned and decided to head over to the nurse's station to see if he could talk his way into letting them come see Shiro.

The only nurse there was Lance. Keith grimaced, but he had done things he was way less proud of than flirting with some random guy to give his friends some peace of mind that their brother was ok so what the hell. “Hey, Lance right?” Keith asked quietly, leaning up against the counter with a smile. Shiro called it his _bad boy look_ and he knew exactly how powerful it was.

“More like Mr. Right.” Lance answered with a grin. Keith fought back the urge to roll his eyes and walk away.

Instead, he forced a laugh. “I was wondering if you could help me with something, _Mr. Right._ ” He made himself keep eye contact even though he was desperate to climb out the nearest window. _This is for Shiro._ He told himself.

Lance leaned against the counter, knocking a tray over with his elbow. “Sure I can. What do you need?”

Keith faltered a little. “Could you help me get a pass for my brother's best friends? They're basically family and they're worried sick. I know it's against the rules…” He trailed off and looked up at Lance pleadingly.

Lance grabbed his tablet and turned it to face Keith. “Yeah sure, I just need their names and phone numbers. Leave the rest to me!”

Keith took the offered tablet, thanking his lucky stars his gambit had worked. Matt owed him big time. He filled out their names and numbers and handed it back. “Thank you so much.” He said with a smile of genuine gratitude. He felt a little bad for leading the man on, but it was for a good cause, he justified to himself. Plus the guy seemed like he’d flirt with anything that moved.

He called Matt from outside of Shiro's room. “Hey, I talked a nurse into getting you guys passes. You should be allowed up soon.” He whispered. “Yeah, I'll let you know.” He let Matt ramble for a minute. “I'm worried too. He's doing ok, though. Like you said, he'll be fine.” He listened patiently as Matt replied. “Ok sounds good. Don't forget Shiro and I are supposed to be brothers. Make sure Pidge remembers, too.” He hung up after receiving Matt's assurance he hadn't forgotten and a quick goodbye.

Allura smiled from behind him and cleared her throat. “How's your… brother doing this afternoon, Mr. Shirogane?” She asked sweetly.

Keith jumped a little at the sound of her voice. “Oh, he's ok. The nurse gave him some pain meds and he's sleeping now.” His face was almost as red as the necktie he still hadn’t taken off.

She patted him on the shoulder. “That's good, he needs the rest. I'll be by later this evening to check his sutures.” Keith found her smile soothing. She clearly had great bedside manner. He thanked her quietly before slipping back into the room.

Allura smirked to herself as she went to find Hunk. Lance was cursing at the computer in the nurse's station when she arrived. “What's the matter?” She asked as he clicked harshly and repeatedly.

“Stupid piece of junk is frozen, I can't get the passes for Keith's friends printed.” He grumbled.

She laughed. “Just wait for Hunk. He's a magician with computers. Plus, we three have something important to discuss.” She leaned against the wall and checked her phone, still smirking.

Lance scoffed. “Yeah, we do. Not only are they not together, but Keith is totally into me. You'll see.”

See looked up at him skeptically. “You have applesauce on your elbow. At least I hope it's applesauce.” She said with a frown, Shirogane drama temporarily forgotten.

Lance wiped it on a paper towel and smacked the side of the monitor again as Hunk strode in. “Ooh, hey doc. I was hoping you'd be by.” Lance turned around at Hunk's voice. Allura smiled happily at him. “Mrs. Jones in room 2 drew you a picture of her cat, and it's really cute, so be excited for that.” He said with a grin. “And also, we need to come up with something humiliating for Lance to do when he loses our bet about the Shiroganes being together instead of brothers.” He added.

Lance groaned as Allura let out a laugh. “Oh, I'm not good at this. As ever, I trust your judgement, Hunk.” she said.

“Whatever. I'm gonna make you guys wear Sarah's minion scrubs for a week each _when_ you lose!” Lance threatened, sticking out his index finger and rapidly moving it between the two of them.

“I'm confident Hunk can come up with something better than that.” Allura replied smugly. “But I agree to those terms and whatever he comes up with.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder as she walked out.

Lance swallowed hard as she walked out of the room. “God, she’s so hot it’s unfair.” He mumbled under his breath. The printer made a loud clunking noise as the passes finally printed in triplicate. He tossed two each in the trash and turned back to Hunk who was shaking his head.

“Weren’t you just saying how that guy was super into you? And you’re still,” he waved his hand in Lance’s general direction, “like that about Allura?” He grabbed the plastic passes out of the trash and put them in the recycling.

“Duh, have you seen her?” He scoffed. “Oh, by the way, you’re totally gonna lose. I heard Takashi call Keith “baby bro” so uh… we might as well go get you fitted for new scrubs, buddy.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

Hunk shook his head again. “You have like 90 siblings, you should know that nobody calls their siblings “baby bro” or “big sis” or whatever. It’s literally not a thing.” He gestured wildly as Lance laughed.

Lance buffed his nails against his scrubs and blew on them. “Sure, sure. Sounds like you’re just a sore loser, but ok.”

Hunk grumbled under his breath. “You have applesauce on your elbow.” He muttered as he left the station.

Lance frowned at his elbow and groaned dramatically. “Ah, come on!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun with this chapter :')
> 
> Thanks again to the cracktron squad and happysheith for the help!

Shiro was sleeping mostly soundly, but for a deep crease in his forehead from his furrowed brows. Keith hoped he wouldn't remember whatever dream was causing the pained look and pressed his lips gently in between Shiro's eyes. The angry lines smoothed just a little. It would have to be enough.

The door clicked open quietly and Keith jumped away from Shiro's side. Lance poked his head in with a cocky grin. He craned his head for Keith to follow him into the hallway. With one more look at Shiro, he did.

Lance smiled wide and held out the passes. “Oh, thanks.” Keith said in relief, reaching for them. Lance snatched them back before he could grab hold.

“Real quick first, there’s something I gotta know.” He tapped a finger under his chin like he was thinking. Keith glared up at him and crossed his arms, unamused. He looked at Lance expectantly. “Did it hurt? When you fell from heaven?”

Keith groaned. “No, but it sure wasn’t fun clawing my way up from hell.” He rolled his eyes as Lance laughed. “Can I have the passes, please?” He gritted out.

Lance handed them over. “So aside from being hilarious and gorgeous, what do you do for a living?”

Keith stared up at him in unabashed confusion. “I’m in HR. Mostly recruiting.” He replied.

“Oh, recruiting, huh?” Lance leaned against the wall on one arm and put his other hand on his hip. “Well do you see any potential in me?” He asked with a wink.

Keith sighed. “Are you done? I wanna be in there when Shiro wakes up.” He looked back to the closed door with a worried frown.

Lance straightened and held up his hands. “Ok, ok, one more.” He said pleadingly.

“Fine.” Keith all but growled.

Lance grinned. “I’d say, ‘God bless you,’ but it looks like he already did.” He punctuated the cheesy line with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Keith shook his head, narrowing his eyes in confusion. “I didn’t even sneeze, though?” He muttered, turning around to go back into Shiro’s room.

“Oh crap, he’s right…” Lance trailed off as he headed back to the nurse’s station.

..

Keith dragged his chair closer to the bed so he could lace his fingers with Shiro’s and run a hand across across his forehead. He knew Shiro would want him here when he woke up, but he desperately wanted Matt and Pidge there to help him. Not that he was doing much of anything but watching Shiro sleep, but the Holts always helped put both of them in better spirits.

It took almost a full hour of grumbling and tossing for Shiro to open his eyes. His pupils were blown and his gaze was unfocused. He still smiled when he looked at Keith’s face. “Keith,” He whispered reverently, flexing his shoulder in the way that used to activate his prosthetic muscles. His eyes went wide as he stared down at his bandaged arm, or rather, what was left of it.

“Hey, hey,” Keith said in a worried whisper. “You’re ok, Shiro. You’re fine.” He cupped Shiro’s face and smoothed a thumb over his cheekbone, tilting Shiro’s head away from his injury and back towards Keith’s face. “Deep breath for me, ‘Kashi, deep breath.” He pleaded.

Shiro took in a ragged breath and let it out slowly. “Oh… the car.” He mumbled, shaking his head. “Sorry. The meds…” He slurred, trailing off.

Keith frowned. “Will you be ok for a couple minutes while I go get Matt and Pidge?” He asked. He hoped seeing the familiar faces of his friends would help him regain some semblance of normalcy.

Shiro nodded. “Yeah. I’m…” He blinked heavily. “I’m good.” Keith wasn’t convinced.

“Ok, just lay down. We’ll be back in a few minutes.” He tried to keep his voice light and happy, but Shiro frowned at his tone.

He didn’t say anything for a few moments, so Keith took that as his cue. He raced down the hall, clutching the passes. The elevator seemed to take forever as he made his way back to the main waiting area. Almost knocking over an orderly as he all but jogged, he roughly shook Matt’s shoulder to wake him up.

Matt sat up with a startled noise, sliding Pidge forward off of his shoulder where she’d fallen asleep. “Keith!” Matt cried in excitement, jumping up to pull him into a hug. “Finally! We’ve been here for like 4 years!” He grabbed the passes and handed one to Pidge.

“Or 6 hours. Give or take.” She replied with a big smile. “Thanks, Keith.”

Keith smiled back at her fondly. He could tell that she had been worried about Shiro, it showed in her immense relief as she clutched the pass to her chest. “‘Course.” He replied, turning and slinging an arm behind him motioning for them to follow.

They all showed their passes to the nurse waiting for them and headed into Shiro’s room. Both Holts scurried over to Shiro’s side and pounced on him in nearly hysterical laughter. “Shiro, god, we were so worried.” Matt sniffed, squeezing his shoulder.

Pidge cleared her throat and sniffled as well. “Matt was crying like a baby the whole time.” She said, voice coming out tight and forced with watery eyes.

“You guys…” Shiro murmured, closing his eyes to blink and forgetting to open them again. He snapped his head up and smiled. “You’re the best.” All three of them laughed. The Holts debated quietly over if they should film him doing something embarrassing, to Shiro’s weak and incoherent protesting. Keith finally convinced them not to with vague threats and deep frowns.

A soft knock at the door interrupted their quiet attempt at a conversation with not-quite-lucid Shiro. Allura walked in a moment later, Lance following behind. “Hi there, we’re just going to change Shiro’s bandages before I head out for the night.” She explained. Keith smiled and nodded at her. Pidge shoved a hard elbow into Matt’s side as he openly gawked. They moved to the back of the room to give her space to work. “Lance, we’re almost out of gloves, can you grab some more please?” She asked quietly as she pulled the last pair from their box.

Lance nodded. “Sure, let me do a quick look around and make sure we don’t need anything else.” He agreed with a smile and glance Keith’s way. “Anything I can do to make your time here more comfortable?” He asked with a glowing smile.

“Besides leave?” Keith grumbled out.

“Sorry what was that?” Lance asked, still smiling. “You kinda mumbled.”

Keith cleared his throat. “Shiro likes tea.” He said. “Uh, chai.”

Lance nodded, sending Keith an enthusiastic thumbs up before going back to taking inventory. The Holts tried hard not to look at each other, knowing they’d dissolve into fits of giggles if they so much as glimpsed each other’s faces. Allura moved around to Shiro’s right side. “Can you turn to the left for me, please?” She asked with a soothing smile. Shiro did as she asked, turning to look up at Keith in awe.

Keith knew something terrible was about to happen and was powerless to stop it. “Baby… you’re so beautiful.” He murmured. Keith’s face went bright red and Allura’s hands stopped gently pulling away the bandages. She turned and gave Lance a very pointed look.

“Uh… yes, the doctor is very beautiful, _bro_. But that’s kind of rude, isn’t it?” Keith’s eyes widened emphatically as he spoke, trying desperately get through to Shiro in his loopy state.

Shiro’s eyes narrowed and his mouth opened into an ‘o’ shape. “Smart guy. Knows a pretty lady when he sees one.” Lance said with a laugh as he left to go restock the supplies, rolling his eyes at Allura’s exasperated expression.

“What…? Don’t call me bro.” Shiro said indignantly. “You had my dick in your mouth last night!” He protested, much to Keith’s horror.

Pidge elbowed Matt hard in the ribs again as he tried and failed to keep his laughter at bay. “Oh my god, Shiro. That’s such a… a…” Keith sputtered. “Such a weird thing to say to your _brother_. Why would you say that?” The tips of his ears all the way down to his collar bones practically glowed.

Allura cleared her throat as Shiro made confused and helpless noises, grabbing onto Keith’s forearm. “It’s fine. People say so many strange things when they’re on these medications.” She forced out a laugh and continued cleaning up his wounds.

“Shh… Shiro, please. Be quiet.” Keith begged, whispering as quietly as he could.

Allura worked quickly and thoroughly, cleaning the injuries and placing fresh bandages over them. Lance came back in and replaced the gloves and tissues and a few other odds and ends he’d gone out to restock. He put a mug and a box of chai tea bags on the counter next to the sink, grinning over at Keith. Keith smiled weakly back. Allura gently pulled the bandage off of the bridge of Shiro’s nose with a sympathetic wince as he swore under his breath.

“Sorry, dear. I’ll be quick.” She promised. In no time at all it seemed, Allura pulled her gloves off and smiled at the small crowd around Shiro. “There we are. Right as rain.” She consoled him with a pat on the leg.

Matt took the opening to talk to her before she could leave the room. “Hi there, I just wanted to thank you for taking such good care of Shiro.” Pidge rolled her eyes at how he’d deepened his voice.

She chuckled with just a hint of sarcasm. Lance glared at them from his spot near the counter. “Well it _is_ my job, Mr.,” She trailed off, squinting at the badge that he’d stuffed into his lapel pocket.

“It’s doctor, actually.” He responded, Pidge mimicking him silently as he spoke. He held his hand out. “Dr. Matthew Holt.”

Allura stuck her hand out to humor him with a handshake, but he brought her knuckles up to his lips to kiss them instead. She giggled a little, much to both Lance and Pidge’s horror. “And what is your doctorate in? Charming the ladies?” She asked with pink cheeks.

Matt grinned. “Astrophysics, actually. I only minored in lady-charming.” She laughed genuinely and lightly tapped his arm.

"Oh, how fascinating. I have a thousand space puns, I'm sure." She replied, tossing her hair over her shoulder and gazing meaningfully into his eyes. “But that would be very unprofessional of me in the workplace.” She added quickly.

Matt’s eyes went wide. “Well, it wouldn’t be unprofessional if we traded wordplay over dinner once Shiro’s feeling a little better, now would it?” He asked, emboldened by her apparent interest.

She hummed thoughtfully. “No, I suppose it wouldn’t.” She conceded. “We’ll talk later, I’ve rounds to finish.” She smiled coyly at him. “Don’t hesitate to call if Shiro needs anything.” She suddenly flushed again, turning to Keith.

  
He chuckled and nodded. “Thanks, doc. We will.” He was smiling a little in amusement, still trying to keep Shiro from pawing at him.

She nodded and headed out of the room. Lance followed tightly on her heels, turning to glare at Matt before he left. “I’m keeping my eye on you.” He whispered gravely, glare intensifying.

Matt gave him a flippant look. “Uh, cool. Maybe you should go keep an eye on your patients instead?” He retorted. Lance grumbled under his breath and shut the door behind him as he walked out. “What’s that guy’s problem?” Matt asked, turning towards Keith.

Keith grumbled and finally let Shiro pull him down into a crushing hug. “Don’t get me started.” He said with a sigh as he tried to get comfortable in the awkward position.

Pidge hustled to the cafeteria to get them dinner when a different nurse brought Shiro’s in with his night time medicines. They ate and talked and laughed together for most of the evening. Keith was beyond grateful for the uplifting presence the Holts carried with them. Shiro seemed to be in better spirits as well.

Shiro, Matt, and Pidge tried to get Keith to head home and get some rest, but he steadfastly refused. He pulled the chair right next to Shiro’s bed again and took his hand. “I don’t want you to be here alone. What if you wake up and you need me?” He asked quietly.

Shiro’s eyes softened as they met Keith’s. “Thank you.” He murmured softly, squeezing Keith’s hand. Keith leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips in lieu of a response.

Pidge and Matt both laughed and shook their heads at the pair. “Ok, lovebirds. Get some rest.” Matt said, patting each of them on the shoulder as he walked by.

“We’ll be back bright and early with breakfast!” Pidge promised, pressing a kiss to both of their cheeks. They shut the door softly, both poking their heads through to wave on the way out.

Shiro and Keith smiled at each other once they were alone. Shiro ran his thumb over Keith’s hand as Keith adjusted the IV line yet again. He slipped his hand out of Shiro’s grasp and snuggled up close. Shiro wrapped his arm around Keith’s back as he snuggled into Shiro’s chest.

Shiro leaned down and kissed the top of his head once he was finally settled. “I love you.” He whispered into Keith’s hair.

“I love you, too.” Keith replied, squeezing Shiro’s arm gently before closing his eyes.

..

Coran yawned and took another sip of his coffee, dabbing his mustache with his handkerchief. He’d agreed to pick up a night shift for a colleague that was out of town for a sister’s wedding and he’d been regretting it all night. He checked his tablet with bleary eyes and saw “room 4” and “Shirogane, Takashi (Shiro)” in the box for his next destination. He skimmed Allura’s notes as he walked.

He didn’t bother knocking since it was almost 3 in the morning, instead opting to just quietly slip into the dimly lit room. The first thing he noticed was the young man in the chair, his upper half draped over Shiro’s midsection. Shiro’s arm was resting on his back, the IV having been elaborately routed so they could rest together more comfortably. It warmed his sleepy heart to see such a sight.

He updated his chart with all of Shiro’s vitals and very quietly checked his bandages to make sure they were still relatively clean and placed properly, even though he was sure Allura had done a fine job only a few hours ago. He smiled as the young man shifted, snuggling deeper into Shiro’s side.

Slipping out of the room without a sound, he headed to the supply closet for an extra blanket. He tucked it under his arm and checked the chart again, looking for the man’s name on the authorized visitors section. _Keith Shirogane_ was at the top and he grinned with glee, it was nice to see young people so in love and dedicated to each other. He idly wondered how long they’d been married as he tiptoed back into the room. Keith stirred as Coran gently placed the blanket over his shoulders, tucking him in as well as he could.

Keith smiled gratefully at him before sliding his eyes shut again, rubbing his cheek against Shiro’s stomach. Coran had to put a hand over his mouth to stop himself from cooing over the young lovers. He crept out quietly to finish his rounds, a newfound spring in his step.

The rest of the night went by uneventfully as he finished with all of his patients. Hunk and Lance walked into the nurse’s station guzzling their own mugs of coffee and yawning. “Mornin’ Coran.” They both mumbled.

“Good morning, boys! You ready for another action-packed day of life-saving and care-giving?” They both groaned.

Hunk rubbed at one of his eyes with the back of his hand. “More like another day of getting puked on and yelled at, but yeah sure. We’ll go with what you said.” He grumbled, taking another drink.

Lance didn’t even look like he was comprehending anything that was happening around him. “It all depends on attitude, boys! Try to keep a smile on those shining faces!” Coran replied with a grin. “Especially you, Hunk. You’re on rounds with room 4. Those boys are just the sweetest.” He smiled dreamily, thinking about Keith’s soft smile and the way he wouldn’t move from Shiro’s side. It made him think of his own wife, who’d been madder than a nest of hornets that he’d be on the night shift for a week. Even 20 years later he knew she’d still stay at the hospital around the clock with him if he were sick or injured. “Do you know how long they’ve been married?” He asked as he finished clocking out.

Hunk immediately wheeled around and pointed at Lance. “HA!” He said accusatorily, ignoring Coran’s question.

Lance groaned. “They’re not _married,_ Coran!” He flailed his arms, slinging a bit of coffee out of his cup. “They’re _brothers._ ” He asserted.

Coran immediately shook his head. “No, no they are most certainly _not_.” Coran replied.

Hunk smiled smugly. “Thank you, Coran. They aren’t. Clearly, they’re just not married yet, so Keith lied about being brothers to get past the stupid ‘immediate family’ rule.” He crossed his arms triumphantly.

Lance scoffed. “Whatever, we’ll see.” He shuffled down the hall to the bathroom.

“Sometimes I worry about that boy.” Coran watched him go with a faint tinge of concern. He pulled at his mustache, curling it around a finger.

“It’s really creepy when you do that.” Hunk mumbled. “But I’m not worried about him, he’s gonna learn a valuable lesson out of all this.” He patted Coran’s back and took the tablet out of his hands, suddenly much more invigorated. “Say hello to Josephine for me!” He called as he headed off to his first patient of the day.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again: huge shout out to happysheith for the beta!!! Big love!!!

Shiro woke up with an ache in his side and a weight on his chest causing him to panic before his eyes could adjust. He smiled when he saw the mop of shaggy hair slumped over top of him. He leaned down to press a kiss to Keith's head. “Mornin’ baby,” he murmured.

Keith stirred and sat up with a yawn and a tired smile, stretching his arms over his head. He looked at the openly lustful expression on Shiro's face with a laugh. “Seriously?” He asked with a shake of his head.

“Sorry, I'm still a little out of it.” Shiro mumbled with a blush. “I'll never be over how gorgeous you are.” He said quietly.

Keith smiled and leaned in to kiss him gently on the lips. “Never?” He asked, tone teasing.

Shiro tried to bump their noses together but hissed as the stitches on his face ached. “Never ever.” He answered, far too seriously for such a silly statement. “They’re gonna have to call us beauty and the beast soon.” He said with a self-deprecating laugh.

Keith's eyes narrowed. “Don’t say that.” He reached up and rubbed the end of the bandage on Shiro's face with a frown. “Anybody who calls you a beast is getting his ass kicked. Including you.” He teasingly threatened.

Shiro’s laugh brought a smile to his face. Keith couldn’t help but to lean in and kiss him again. Shiro ignored the tug on his sore hand and the pull of the bandage on his face in favor of threading his fingers through Keith’s messy hair and deepening the kiss. Keith half climbed onto the already crowded bed, only one of his feet still on the ground. He knew it had been hours since anyone had come in to check on Shiro and they were due any moment, but the feeling of Shiro beneath him _right here_ and _safe_ and _warm_ was too much to resist.

Keith peppered kisses across his jaw and cheeks, careful to avoid his swollen nose. He dragged his teeth across the pulse point in Shiro’s neck just the way he knew would drive Shiro crazy and was rewarded with a strangled groan that had his own pulse hammering. He was debating the merits of getting up and locking the door when he heard it open.

He slid out of the bed far too fast and ended up knocking into the chair he’d been sleeping on, sending himself and the chair to the floor with a loud thud. Shiro and Hunk both looked at him in shock as he stood up and brushed himself off before righting the chair. Hunk cleared his throat and didn’t even try to hide his smirk. “Yeah the beds are single-person only, sorry bud.” He teased.

Keith stammered, blushing, as he tried to come up with an excuse. Hunk cut him off. “No, no. Whatever. I don’t wanna know.” He said dismissively. Keith sat down heavily and buried his face in his hands.

“Now, Shiro.” Hunk pointed his stylus at him. “Be honest. Pain level, what are you at right now?”

Shiro sighed and looked down at his right side. “It’s… pretty bad.” He admitted with a grimace.

His shame forgotten, Keith stood up and put his hand on Shiro’s leg. “Shiro… why didn’t you tell me? I would have called someone.”

Shiro smiled guiltily at him. “I was such an idiot yesterday, I didn’t wanna embarrass myself again.” Keith sighed and shook his head. “And I didn’t want you to worry about me…” He trailed off with downcast eyes.

Hunk cleared his throat to remind them he was there. “Well, let’s try a smaller dose than last time, take the edge off without knocking you out. Sound good?” His smile soothed them both.

“Yeah, let’s give it a try.” Shiro answered with as much enthusiasm as he could muster.

Hunk didn’t waste any time loading the IV and flicking the chamber. As soon as the medicine hit Shiro’s bloodstream he sighed in relief. “Thanks,” he mumbled, eyes already sliding shut.

Shiro didn’t stir a bit as Hunk patted him on the head with a chuckle. It made Keith snicker as well. “Anything else you need?” He asked, giving Keith a knowing smile.

Keith’s earlier embarrassment returned tenfold. “Nope. We’re good.” He replied, not looking Hunk in the eye.

Shiro sighed from the bed. “I need… something.” He mumbled. Keith walked up to his side and put a hand on his shoulder. Before he could ask what it was Shiro needed, he spoke. “There it is.” He said with half-lidded eyes and a lopsided grin.

Hunk snickered, leaving the room before Keith felt the need to explain himself.

“Hey,” Shiro said quietly, pulling on Keith’s shirt, “c’mere.” He puckered his lips.

Keith laughed under his breath. “You’re really cute, you know that?” He asked, leaning down to kiss Shiro again now that they were alone.

Shiro slipped his arm around and pulled Keith close again, deepening their kiss just like before. Keith pulled back, preparing to teasingly admonish him for playing possum, but the goofy smile on Shiro’s face had him laughing instead. “Nurse just left.” He slurred out. “We have a couple hours.” He tugged gently at Keith’s shirt.

Keith sighed and leaned down again, pressing their lips together softly. “Matt and Pidge are coming by in like half an hour.” He pointed out.

“Plenty of time for a quickie.” Shiro whispered.

Keith’s face flushed again. “I’m not giving you a hand job in a hospital, Shiro.” He whispered back sharply.

Shiro pouted and shook his left hand. “But this one has a needle in it.” He stuck out his bottom lip comically.

Keith shook his head. “You can wait a week.” He patted Shiro’s cheek condescendingly.

“Fine, but soon’s I’m outta here…” He tried to glare but he couldn’t get his eyes to narrow the same amount and the effect was lost.

Keith laughed hard at the adorable sight. He kissed Shiro’s forehead and sat on the edge of the bed. “As soon as you’re out of here, we can do whatever you want. At home.” He promised.

Shiro smiled and nodded. “Good.” He whispered, sliding his eyes closed and falling asleep again.

..

“Lance, they were definitely making out. I saw it! With my own eyes!” Hunk flailed his arms as he whisper-shouted.

Lance shook his head. “No way, Hunk. You’re just seeing what you wanna see. Like ghosts! Apple… franzia or something.” He waved his hand dismissively.

Hunk stared at him. “It’s not _Apophenia,_ it’s having _eyeballs_. He fell off the bed! The bed he was laying on! Because he was kissing Shiro!” He shouted, bordering on irate.

“Or…” Lance asserted. “He was adjusting his pillow or something!” He pointed a finger in Hunk’s face. “Dude’s only got one arm, gotta be hard to adjust your own pillow like that.”

Hunk slapped a hand over his face. “By laying on him? How do you even remotely think they’re brothers? Ignoring the way they act, they look nothing alike!” He wasn’t so much angry, but the deep-seated confusion was having trouble expressing itself in any other method.

“What? They totally look alike!” Lance argued.

“No no no no…” Hunk shook his head and erased a big portion of the whiteboard. “I refuse to believe you think that.” He drew a triangle with a circle on top next to a rectangle with a circle on top. He pointed to the triangle-circle. “This is Keith. Note the pointed chin.” He drew two large ovals at the top of the circles. “Big doe eyes.” He added a small triangle below them. “Delicate nose.” A small trapezoid completed the drawing. “Small mouth.”

He cleared his throat. “And this one is Shiro. Note the chiseled, rectangular chin.” He filled in two smaller ovals with pointed ends, erasing several times and sticking his tongue out between his lips. “Ok fine, I’m not an artist, but his eyes are smaller and he has monolids.” He moved on to draw a long narrow triangle. “Larger, broader nose.” He finished Shiro’s drawing with a long line that curved up at both ends. “Also larger, broader mouth.” Lance stood and stared at them.

“Those are the basic shapes of both of their faces. Hardly a similarity.” Hunk finished, recapping the marker and setting it back down. Lance still wasn’t impressed.

Hunked rolled his eyes and picked it back up. He drew a thin rectangle under Keith for a torso and little sticks for arms and legs, adding two small circles on each stick-arm. For Shiro, Hunk drew his body hovering under his chin a bit, an inverted triangle for a chest coming to a point at his waist, with big bubbly squiggles for his thick legs and arms. “Ok how about this?” Hunk pointed again.” Keith: small, lean, kinda muscular but like, in a normal way.” He tapped under Shiro. “Huge. Giant. Beefy.” He slammed the marker down and stared at Lance again.

Lance frowned. “All this tells me is that you suck at drawing and that you’re hungry. Your ‘Shiro’ looks like a dorito.” He said dismissively and headed out to see his next patient.

“Because he looks like a dorito!” Hunked groaned and erased his drawings. He groaned even louder as he realized he had erased everyone’s list for kitchen. He replaced as much of it as he could remember and put the eraser down next to Lance’s coffee cup before slipping away to his next patient as well.

..

The next few days went by much the same, waking up to nurses poking and prodding at Shiro’s injuries and the Holts stopping by as often as they could. Keith refused to leave Shiro’s side for an instant. He was still in Tuesday’s work clothes on Friday morning. He was ripe enough that even Lance had stopped flirting with him.

“Baby, I love you so much.” Shiro said, staring fondly at Keith as he dozed in the chair. “But please go home and sleep. Or at least shower and change clothes.”

Keith sat up and looked at him. “I had Matt bring me deodorant, do I smell awful? All I can smell is hospital.” He grimaced.

Shiro laughed. “It’s not that bad.” He reassured. Keith had never gone more than 24 hours without a shower since Shiro had met him. “But your hair is kinda…” He cringed a little gesturing with his hand.

Keith ran a hand through his hair and winced. “Yeah… ok. I’ll text Matt to come hang out with you and head home for a few hours.” He agreed reluctantly.

Shiro smiled again, love apparent in his eyes. “I’m ok, I’ll probably just sleep. You should, too.” He prodded gently.

Keith stood up and kissed him gently. “Ok, but I’m going to keep my phone on full volume. Call me if you need me. Promise?” He held out his pinky finger.

Shiro wrapped his around it and smiled, kissing Keith’s hand before letting go. “Promise.”

Keith smiled softly at him and headed out. Matt showed up half an hour later with pizza, knowing Shiro had to be suffering eating nothing but hospital food. They talked for a while as they ate, but Shiro quickly grew tired after his stomach was full. He nodded off quickly.

Allura woke him up with a gentle squeeze of his shoulder a little while later. “No Keith?” She asked quietly with a smile, trying not to wake Matt. He had fallen asleep in the chair with his crossed ankles resting on the edge of the bed by Shiro’s knees. 

He shook his head. “I finally convinced him to go home and get some rest.” He smiled back at her as she sat down to quickly work at his bandages again. Normally they would chat a bit, just small talk to take the edge off the discomfort of the adhesive and antiseptic, but this time Allura stayed silent. It stung a bit more than usual and he thought about ‘accidentally’ hitting Matt’s feet so they could talk.

She finished the bandage on his face and sat back on her stool. “I have a question for you, and please feel free to tell me if I’ve overstepped.” She whispered, expression serious. He nodded at her to continue. “You and Keith… you’re not really brothers, are you?” She asked quietly.

He licked his lips and sighed. “No. We’re not.” He admitted just as quietly. “We’ve been together a long time now. 5 years, last week.” Her smile reassured him as he confessed. “He only said we were brothers so the front desk would let him in. He was worried you’d kick him out if he told the truth.”

Smiling, Allura nodded. She couldn’t wait to rub this in Lance’s face. Or see him have to sing in those ridiculous scrubs. Instead she focused on wiping the smug look off of her face and replacing it with a comforting one. “Don’t worry, we won’t kick Keith out. And I won’t say anything to anyone who would.” She promised.

“Thank you.” Shiro replied, accidentally speaking at a normal conversational volume in his relief.

Matt mumbled and shook his head, planting his feet back on the ground as he woke up, disoriented. He grinned when he saw Allura’s shy smile. “Well, fancy seeing you here.” He said with a wink.

She laughed. “Again, it is my job to be here.” She chided playfully, looking up at the clock. “For another 8 minutes anyway.” Her cheeks went pink.

Shiro cleared his throat. “Well, Keith should be back soon, Matt. If you wanted to uh,” he looked between them conspicuously, “you know, head home and do astrophysics stuff.” He adjusted himself on the bed. “I’m just gonna go back to bed.” He made a show of faking a yawn and closing his eyes.

Matt chuckled. “Well I will probably find this magazine from 2013 very interesting for approximately 7 minutes and then very likely head somewhere to get ice cream. Just… for anyone who might be interested in knowing my plans.” He tried to keep a straight face but couldn’t hold back his smile as Allura’s eyes lit up.

“That’s very interesting, I might also be getting ice cream. In just over 6 minutes. After leaving my office, which just happens to be room G31.” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Anyway, good night, gentlemen.” She said with a laugh, leaving the room.

Shiro cracked one eye open as the door shut and looked up at Matt. “What are you doing, go!” He motioned towards the door.

Matt laughed. “You sure you’re good?” He asked. “Seriously, Allura will totally understand if you want me to wait for Keith to get back.” His smile faded into a serious expression.

“Gooooo.” Shiro replied. “I’m just gonna sleep. It’s fine.” Matt bit his bottom lip and looked between Shiro and the door before nodding and practically running out. Shiro laughed and settled into his bed for real, falling asleep with an amused smile on his face.

Keith woke him up a few hours later, quietly slipping into the room feeling like a new man squeaky clean in a fresh change of clothes. He pressed a kiss to Shiro’s forehead and sat back at his side. Shiro hummed as he took a deep breath in through his nose. “Much better.” He said with a laugh. Keith rolled his eyes and scooted the chair closer. “I told Allura the truth.” Shiro admitted quietly.

Keith sighed. “Yeah, I figured she was catching on.” He frowned.

“She’s not gonna tell anyone.” Shiro murmured, reaching up to swipe his thumb across Keith’s lower lip. It almost never failed to wipe the frown off of his face, replacing it with a tender smile.

Keith leaned in for another kiss. “Good.” He replied. He didn't exactly like it, but he couldn't do much about it now. He tried not to worry about it as he laid his head on Shiro's chest. They fell asleep together not long after.

..

A few days later, Shiro was walking a knife’s edge with his moods. He didn’t mean to be, but he could be a bit snippy when he was stressed. Keith was normally able to soothe him, but Lance was seemingly determined to push all of Shiro’s buttons that day. Keith had done the only thing he could think to give Shiro at least a little bit of peace: He’d offered to have lunch with Lance in the hospital’s cafeteria.

They sat down at a bench, mediocre sandwiches and bottles of water between them. “So, Shiro’s probably gonna be ready to get out of here in the next couple of days.” Lance said, eyeing Keith expectantly.

“Yeah, I can’t wait. He’s been cooped up way too long.” Keith agreed, taking a bite of his food.

Lance nodded. “So uh, that’ll leave you plenty of time to go on a date. With me.” He said hopefully.

Keith sighed. “Shiro’s gonna need a lot of help at home until he’s ready for his new arm.” He deflected.

“Ohhh.” Lance replied, taking a messy bite. “Yeah, living alone with one arm would be rough.” He munched away, getting bits of sauce all over his face and hands.

Keith raised an eyebrow. “He doesn’t live alone. He lives with his boyfriend.” He picked up his own sandwich again, eyeing Lance warily.

Lance wiped at the sauce on his chin with a napkin, talking around a bite of his sandwich. “Oh wow, Shiro’s not single? That’s kinda surprising.”

Keith set his sandwich back on the plate. He was floored. How could any person be in Shiro’s presence and not immediately jump in line to be with him? “Why would that be surprising? Shiro’s great.” He asked, eyes narrowed.

Lance shrugged. “I dunno. The whole amputee thing. ‘S gotta be hard.” The statement came out so flippantly and dismissively that Keith felt his blood boil in his veins.

“Being with Shiro isn’t hard at all.” He gritted out, trying to stay calm, a losing battle considering present company. “He’s amazing! He makes my lunch for me when I’m too tired at night, he never forgets to pick up the dry cleaning, he sends me pictures of every single cat he walks by! He’s funny and smart and kind and he loves me and none of that has anything to do with his fucking arm, you prick!” He was yelling by the end of his tirade, having slammed his hands on the table and leaned over it somewhere in the middle.

Lance’s eyes were wide with shock. He’d dropped his sandwich somewhere along the way. It had landed on the table, sauce dribbling out of the portion he’d bitten and slowly oozing onto his scrubs. Keith was breathing hard by the time he finished, face going red with embarrassment instead of anger as he realized what he’d said. He sat back down and crossed his arms. “Wait… so you guys _are_ together?” Lance asked, bewildered.

Keith rolled his eyes and looked up at the ceiling. “Yes. We’ve been together for 5 years.” He grumbled out, waiting for Lance to ask for his visitors pass back.

Lance scrunched up his face in confusion. “Wow I bet that makes family reunions awkward.” He chuckled out nervously.

Keith slapped a hand to his forehead in disbelief. “Oh my god, we’re not _actually_ brothers! I just said that so I could get in, because I’m an idiot and I should have said yes when he asked me to marry him!” He was shouting again. Everyone in the cafeteria stared uncomfortably at the pair.

Keith’s eye widened as he sat back in his chair. He wanted to marry Shiro. He really did. He was sure now. Completely, unequivocally sure: he was ready. “Ah, man.” Lance whined.

Sighing, Keith looked back up at Lance’s face and felt guilty at the dejection he saw there. “I’m really sorry for leading you on. I thought it would make it easier to keep me and Shiro a secret. It was a dick move.” He admitted quietly.

Lance scoffed. “Nah, that’s fine, I usually go for girls anyway. I just realized I’m gonna have to wear awful scrubs for a week because I _so_ didn’t see that coming.” He shook his head as he mumbled under his breath.

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Keith tilted his head. “What does that have to do with scrubs?” He asked.

“Hunk and Allura called it like 4 seconds after talking to you guys, and I really thought you were brothers.” His face turned red. “We made a bet over it and… looks like I lost.” He explained, crossing his arms.

Keith shook his head. He knew it had been a miracle that they’d lasted almost a week, it seemed fitting that they’d actually failed right away. “So… are you gonna kick me out?” He asked tentatively.

Lance waved a hand. “Nah, everybody thinks that rule is dumb. They only have it so there’s less contamination in the unit. A couple of people coming in and out isn’t a big deal.” He frowned as he scrolled through his phone for a moment. “Unrelated, do you and Shiro have a song? Like… like a dorky couple song?” He stammered out as he read.

Keith grimaced. “Why?”

He sighed again. “Part of the bet is that I have to sing you guys a stupid song while Hunk and Allura laugh at me and if I have to do it, it might as well be a song you guys actually like.” He answered dolefully.

“Ok, but you can’t laugh.” Keith said, crossing his arms again.

Lance nodded. “You got it. No laughing. Promise.” He held up three fingers almost in scout’s salute. Keith let it slide.

Keith smiled to himself. “It’s uh… It’s Bubbly by Colbie Caillat.” He admitted quietly. Lance’s face folded in on itself as he tried to keep the laughter in. “Ugh, shut up, it was playing on our first date. It was a big deal, so shut up about it.” He groused.

Lance pounded the table with a hand once. “Ok.” He squeaked out. “Ok, I can do this.” He took a deep breath and held it in. It only lasted a few seconds before he was sprawled out on the small bench laughing.

“Yeah, ok, we’re done.” Keith muttered. He got up and left the cafeteria, heading back for Shiro’s room.


	5. Chapter 5

Shiro tried not to laugh when Keith had quietly admitted that he’d told Lance they were together. He didn’t ask what had happened because Keith seemed flustered and upset. It was much easier to deal with Lance not flirting with his boyfriend every 4 seconds while he was already grouchy, so Shiro didn’t fret not knowing the details. Matt, Pidge, and Keith all ended up taking rotating shifts to hang out with him for the rest of the week while he tried not to die of boredom or let himself get too down about waiting to get refitted for a new arm. 

His physical therapist had been in a few times to talk and check out the extent of his injuries. Once his bruised ribs were less tender and his stitches were taken out, the doctor said he would be in good shape to get started right away. It had improved his mood significantly. Matt and Keith had taken turns dealing with insurance companies, beating ambulance-chasing lawyers away, setting up follow on appointments, and getting medical leave set up with Shiro’s employer. It was a whirlwind few days. 

Keith thumbed at the small box in his pocket. It had been weighing heavily on his jacket and his mind since he’d run home to grab it the night after his and Lance’s shouting match in the cafeteria. He was a man of action, but he knew when to slow down and plan things out. It didn’t make the waiting any easier, though. He was desperate to throw the ring on the bed and tell Shiro he was ready, or just take it out of the box and put it on. He knew he owed Shiro more than that. He owed them both a chance to do it right. 

And doing it right meant waiting until Shiro could finally go home. Hopefully that would be in just a few hours. Matt and Pidge had been there with them all day, helping to pack the few odds and ends they’d collected into a backpack and bringing with them some actual clothes for Shiro to change into for the ride home.

Allura came in just after breakfast to finally remove Shiro’s sutures. The ones in his side and arm hadn’t bothered him a bit and he was playfully making jokes and talking with everyone in the room while she worked. She applied a few bandages to keep the sites clean while they finished healing and sat back with a sigh. “Well, are you ready?” She asked nodding towards him. 

His hand no longer had the IV in it, which made it much easier for Keith to wrap both of his around it and squeeze reassuringly. Shiro nodded and smiled up at Keith. “Yeah, let’s see what the damage is.” He said with a humorless chuckle. 

Allura nodded and pulled off the bandage across his nose. Shiro squeezed his eyes shut as she brought the small scissors up to snip the first suture. She made quick work of all of them and sat back again. “Would you like to see it before I put the bandage on? Just so there aren’t any surprises.” He swallowed hard and nodded. “I think it’s quite fetching, to be honest.” She said with a chuckle as she grabbed a small mirror off of her tray, having anticipated his response. 

Keith was inclined to agree. The deep red, almost purple color would fade in time, he knew. Somehow it brought an air of dignity to Shiro’s face. “I think so, too.” He said quietly. “Makes you look kinda badass.” He smiled as Shiro laughed and shook his head. 

He finally moved his eyes from Keith’s face to the mirror and gasped. He tried to bring his hand up to run his fingers across it but Allura swatted it down. “Absolutely not, I don’t know where those filthy things have been.” She tutted. 

Shiro mumbled an apology as he stared at his reflection. “I didn’t realize how close I came to losing an eye. Or both.” He mumbled. Keith took his hand and squeezed it again. 

“You didn’t. You’re gonna be just fine.” He reassured. 

Shiro looked up at him and pulled him down for a brief kiss. “Yeah, I think I will.” He murmured. 

“That’s very sweet, but Keith please get your dirty face away from Shiro’s wound.” Allura butted in, turning Shiro’s head back towards her and scrubbing the barely closed site with alcohol again before bandaging it. “Don’t take any of those off for at least 24 hours, then a warm shower, pat them dry and cover them during the day for at least a week.” She smiled as she finished her instructions. “And before I get your discharge paperwork in order, we have a little show for you.” She added, smile turning mischievous. 

Shiro raised an eyebrow up at Keith in confusion. His eyes were squeezed shut and his face was contorted with a hard cringe. Shiro didn’t get the chance to ask what was going on before the door opened and Lance, along with half the hospital staff apparently, filed in.

Lance’s scrubs were a sight to behold: bright pink and covered in kittens and hearts. 

Shiro turned back to Keith, who was already covering his face and turning away, groaning. In his hands Lance carried a ukulele and he cleared his throat loudly. Hunk chuckled and held up his phone, recording the whole event. 

As soon as he started the first few notes Shiro recognized the song. Lance strummed and started to sway as he began singing. “I've been awake for a while now,” His tone was off, but Shiro’s face brightened into a smile anyway. “You've got me feelin' like a child now,” The notes came out sharp and flat in turns and it was the most beautiful thing Shiro had ever heard. 

He turned to Keith and grabbed his arm, pulling it away from his bright red face as everyone else focused on Lance making a spectacle of himself. His grip was gentle and Keith followed it until their hands were linked again. Shiro started mouthing the words to him as the chorus started and the box in Keith’s pocket seemed to grow heavier as his heart swelled with fondness. 

They both turned back to watch as Lance performed, laughing and cringing in turns as he started dancing in earnest, shrieking out the lyrics. He went around the room making silly faces at everyone, pretending he was singing the song to them. The just over 3 minutes felt like an eternity and somehow the blink of an eye at the same time. Lance bowed dramatically as everyone clapped. 

When the clamour died down a bit Lance walked up to Shiro’s bed with a wide grin and another bow. “I admit fully and of my own free will, that you guys are a great couple.” Hunk cleared his throat. “An adorable and sweet couple and I wish you many years of happiness together.” Shiro and Keith both laughed at his clearly forced admission. “Seriously, I’m glad you’re ready to get out of here, but it was really fun having you guys around.” That part came out sincerely and brought smiles to everyone in earshot. 

“Thanks, Lance. You’re not much of a singer, but you’re a great nurse and I’m glad I got to meet you.” Shiro replied. Keith grumbled under his breath in begrudging agreement. 

Lance preened at the compliment. “Thanks, guys. Don’t forget about me when you’re looking for a singer at your wedding!” He said with a laugh. Shiro’s smile faltered a little. 

“We definitely will.” Keith deadpanned without a second thought. Shiro looked up at him with a shy smile. 

Allura shooed everyone out of the room after a few minutes of letting everyone talk and carry on about Lance’s ridiculous display so she could get Shiro’s paperwork processed. They were piled into Matt’s car and on the way home before lunch. Matt and Pidge dropped them off with promises to bring dinner by later and a round of hugs. 

Keith’s hands weren’t shaking, but he felt like they should be as he turned the key and opened their door. Kolivan had come by to do dishes and vacuum- everything was so clean. He left a small vase of flowers and a get well soon card on the kitchen counter. Shiro grinned as Keith dropped their bag into the bedroom. “I can’t believe how cool your boss is, what a great guy.” Shiro called to him after he read the card. 

Shiro’s tongue was poking out of the side of his mouth as he tried to stick a magnet over top of the center of the card to pin it to the fridge. It had been a long time since he’d had to make do without a prosthetic. Keith came up behind him and held the card while he stuck the magnet down. “Good thing I have you to be my right hand.” He said with a grin and a kiss to Keith’s cheek. 

Keith groaned at the corny joke. “C’mon we need to move some stuff around so you can use everything, Lefty.” Shiro placed another kiss to his nose before nodding. 

They moved the toothbrushes to the other side of the sink along with Shiro’s hair gel, switched the mouse on the desktop computer they shared when one of them got the rare chance to work from home, and a few other little things that would make life just a bit easier to adjust to for the few weeks he had to go without. All the while, the ring sat there in his pocket. Shiro had asked why he kept his jacket on once, but yielded to Keith’s shrug. 

Keith knew he was acting strange, but he couldn’t help it. They’d decided to sit on the couch and watch some corny action movie until Matt and Pidge came by, but Keith couldn’t get comfortable. He kept twisting in Shiro’s gentle grip and putting his feet up and down off the coffee table and back on again. “Hey wiggle-worm, what’s eating you?” Shiro asked with a chuckle, but the look in his eyes told Keith he was worried. 

Keith shook his head. “It’s gonna be a rough couple of weeks. I’m just overthinking things.” It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t technically the whole truth. He frowned as he realized how frequently he’d been doing that lately. “I’ll be fine.” 

Shiro picked up the remote and scrolled through their DVR, stopping on an animal planet documentary about hippos. “I know just the thing.” He said a little smugly as Keith’s eyes lit up. 

Keith crawled half on top of him and pressed their lips together. He could feel Shiro’s smile against his. It was so good to be home. “Thank you.” he whispered as he pulled back and snuggled into Shiro’s side. 

Half an hour in to the normally soothing documentary and Keith’s mind was still in overdrive. He couldn’t make his foot stop tapping. Shiro noticed right away, but let Keith try to calm down himself for a few minutes before he started to run his hand through Keith’s hair in the way that normally put him at ease. “You sure you’re ok, baby?” He asked quietly. 

Keith huffed. “I need to take a walk, I think.” He muttered, standing up off the couch. “Just around the block. I’ve been sitting too much lately.” 

Shiro nodded understandingly and paused the TV. “Ok. Bring your phone? In case you wanna stay out longer.” He asked, knowing Keith’s tendencies almost as well as his own. 

Keith smiled and grabbed his phone off the counter. “I’ll be back, soon, I promise. 10 minutes tops.” He leaned down and kissed Shiro again before heading out. 

The brisk evening air was nice against his skin as he quickly walked around their building. He tried to think of what advice Shiro would give him. He made one loop around the parking lot and wasn’t any closer to answer. Maybe he’d planned enough. His gut was telling him to just lay everything out on the table, and it had rarely led him astray.

He made his way back to their apartment and the smell of hot cocoa hit him as soon as he opened the door. It was his favorite, and Shiro had gone through the trouble of making it for him even though he hadn’t even been out of the hospital for a full day yet. “10 minutes on the dot, good work.” Shiro said with a smile, squinting a little as he tried to finishing mixing the drink. 

Keith took a deep breath and walked over to the counter, pushing the drink away from Shiro’s hand. Shiro looked up at him, confused. Keith held the box out to him, bottom lip caught between his teeth. “Keith… what?” Shiro asked, awestruck. 

Keith couldn’t meet his eyes. “Ask me again.” He said quietly. 

Shiro paused for a moment before taking the box and flipping it open with his thumb. It was hard to get the ring out one-handed and the box clattered to the floor. They both stared at it for a moment before looked up, urging Shiro to continue with a pleading look. Shiro held the ring out between them, towards Keith’s stomach. His hand was shaking. “Keith, will yo-” 

“No, you have to do it right.” He interrupted. His stern tone would have been comical if Shiro had been able to control the thudding in his chest. “Like before.” It came out barely above a whisper. 

Shiro dropped to his knee immediately. The hammering in his chest worked its way up to his throat and he had to clear it before he could start. “Baby, the last 5 years… plus a week,” he chuckled awkwardly. His original proposal had been much smoother. “Have been the best years of my life.” He’d practiced the speech so many times it had flowed like sand the week before, but he was struggling now, making up the words as he went. The look of awe on Keith’s face was the same as last time. “I love you so much, and I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life anywhere but by your side.” His eyes started watering. They hadn’t done that before. “Keith, will yo-” 

Keith cut him off again. “Yes.”

Shiro laughed. “Now you’re the one that’s not doing it right.” He teased. 

Keith blinked back a few tears. “Sorry, go ahead.”

Shiro took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Keith, will you marry me?” He held the ring up a little higher. 

Keith held his hand out and let Shiro slip it onto his finger. “Yes.” He said again.

They stared at each other for a long moment before Keith dove down, almost knocking both of them to the floor. He wrapped as much of himself as he could around Shiro without perturbing his injuries and kissed every inch of skin his lips could reach. Shiro laughed as he let the tears slide down his cheeks. “What changed your mind?” He asked quietly as Keith tenderly kissed around the bandage on his nose. 

Keith pulled back and look him in the eyes, blushing. “Don’t laugh.” Shiro nodded, already grinning. Keith licked his lips. “It was a lot of stuff, and Lance actually made me realize it, but I think I knew when uh…” he ducked his head, long bangs shading his eyes. “When Hunk called me  _ Mr. Shirogane _ .” He finished with a shy smile. 

“Mr. Shirogane.” Shiro repeated. “I really like the sound of that.” 


	6. Chapter 6

Matt and Pidge were staring at each other from opposite sides of the small stage. Pidge had her eyes crossed and her tongue stuck out, and Matt was doing his best to lick his own nose. Their actions contrasted greatly with their outfits: a sharp tuxedo and an elegant red dress respectively.

Finally the music began playing and all of the hushed whispers died down as everyone looked to the front of the room in time for Matt and Pidge to straighten out their faces. From Matt’s side of the altar, Shiro entered and began slowly walking towards the center. His black tuxedo was underlaid with a red vest pinstriped with charcoal, which accentuated his steel eyes, already welling with tears as he spotted Keith making his way from the other side to the altar.

Keith’s tuxedo was the inverse to Shiro’s: a deep red with a black vest striped in silver. They were as perfect complements to each other in wardrobe as they were in everything else. Keith’s eyes were dry but his grin was wide and Shiro might as well have been the only other person in the room as they stopped in front of each other. Unprompted and off-script, they reached their hands out at the same time and clasped them between each other.

“Family and friends,” the officiant began. “We are all here today to witness the love between Shiro and Keith. The couple have elected to say their own vows to one another. Takashi, if you’d like to start.”

Shiro squeezed Keith’s hands and cleared his throat. “If you had decided that you didn’t want to get married, I still would have spent the rest of my life with you. I would never have held it against you and I never wanted you to do this because you thought it was what I wanted.” He paused to swallow down the lump in his throat. “I never needed a piece of paper or a ring, but until you said yes I didn’t realize how badly I wanted both.” He paused to wipe his eyes. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I love you more than I ever thought possible. I’m so proud to be your husband.”

The officiant cued Keith to start his. “I haven’t had the best track record with families,” he smiled and wiped a thumb across one of Shiro’s wet cheeks before taking his hand again, “but that never stopped you from always making me feel like I was part of yours. You’re so patient and so kind and you always know exactly what I need.” He had to clear his throat before continuing. “And what I need is you, just you, just the way you are.” He squeezed Shiro’s right hand hard enough that the sensors could pick it up. Shiro let out a half laugh half sob with a watery smile as Keith continued. “My life would have been so much different without you, and I can’t wait to see how much better our life together will be.”

After the officiant performed the rest of the ceremony, Keith stepped forward and leaned his head up to press his lips to Shiro’s, but before he could make it there, Shiro had his hands cupping Keith’s face in a sweet embrace. Shiro’s lips were salty from the tears that couldn’t seem to stop falling from his eyes, but Keith didn’t mind. He wiped his thumb across Shiro’s cheek when they broke apart, smiling at the wedding band now glinting in the evening sunlight. He pressed another kiss to the scar on the bridge of Shiro’s nose, which earned him a watery laugh and a blinding smile. “Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you, Mr. and Mr. Shirogane.” The officiant declared to a round of applause. A few tears finally made their way from Keith’s reluctant eyes and he scrubbed at them as he and his husband turned and made their way down the center aisle, hand in hand.

Everyone stood to watch them go, except Matt and Pidge. Matt took a few steps forward and crouched, giving Pidge the chance to jump onto his back. Her dress hiked up as she wrapped her legs around her brother’s waist in a classic piggyback. A sign was taped to the black shorts she wore underneath: _See ya at the reception! S+K_

Several snickers and outright laughs followed them as Matt speed-walked back down the aisle, pausing to wink at Allura on the way just before nearly tripping.

..

The reception was held close by and as everyone filed in, the newlyweds were already seated at the head table, a Holt on either side. As soon as most of the tables and stomachs were filled, Matt stood up microphone in hand. “Hey, everyone thanks so much for coming. How about a round of applause for the happy couple?” He started with a grin, waiting while everyone clapped. “As I’m sure most of you are aware, I’m very personally invested in Shiro and Keith’s marriage.” He looked over and smiled at both of them.

“We’ve all been friends for a long time, and let me just say: you will never meet another two people more in love than these guys.” A few shouts of agreement rang out through the crowd. “I never told either of them this,” Keith’s eyes went wide and he looked like he was about to pounce over Shiro at a moment’s notice, “but they were pretty much insufferable the entire time they were dating.”

Shiro laughed and put a hand on Keith’s thigh to keep him from jumping. “You told me that every single day for six months.” Shiro interjected.

“And I meant it!” Matt covered the mic with his hand but his voice still carried. “The stories I could tell.” He shook his head, turning back to the mic. “Maybe after a few drinks I’ll get into the really awful ones, but the most important one,” he closed his eyes and laughed, licking his lips before continuing, “the worst one, or the best depending on how you look at it, is right before they said ‘I love you’ to each other for the first time.”

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, the screenshot already loaded and ready to read. “From Shiro: I’m telling him tonight. I’ve been waiting for weeks, I’m really gonna do it.” He read aloud. Shiro and Keith were looking at each other, faint blushes on both sets of cheeks. “From Keith: is it too soon to tell Shiro I love him?” They both looked up at Matt in stunned silence. “I’m not making this up, guys, I have the screenshot right here. Less than two minutes apart, I got those messages.” He cleared his throat.

“I never doubted they were right for each other, but I kind of knew I’d be standing here one day when I saw those messages.” He blinked his suddenly misty eyes. “Shiro has been like a brother to me since we were kids, and now I’m so glad to add Keith to our weird little family.” His voice broke with emotion and he cleared his throat again and laughed. “But uh… you know it’s funny story, speaking of people who are like a brother to Shiro, about 8 months ago-”

Shiro stood up and grabbed the microphone out of his hands, lightly bopping Matt’s nose while he glared. “Wow, thank you, Matt. That was very touching. Thanks. Hi everyone, we’re just about ready for our first dance, so grab those second helpings if you want them! We appreciate you being here.” He clicked off the microphone and glared at Matt. Keith leaned back around his chair and glared as well. Matt gave them his best innocent grin.

They let everyone settle in to finish dinner and made polite conversation for a while until Matt stole the microphone back and announced that it was time for the couple to have their first dance. Shiro and Keith made their way, hand in hand, to the dance floor as the first few chords of _Inevitable_ started. The photographer flitted about snapping pictures as they swayed together. Shiro whispered the words of the chorus as it started. “I want to be your last first kiss, that you'll ever have,” he sang softly, smiling through red-rimmed eyes. Keith leaned in and pressed their lips together as they danced, to a round of applause from their long-forgotten audience.

As the song ended, they kissed again. But before they opened up the dance floor to everyone else, Shiro took the microphone from Matt again, waving as he started to speak. “Hi again, everyone. We’ll let everyone take a crack at the dance floor in a minute, but first: Please head to the next room.” He pointed at a side door. “We have a very special guest to open up the night for karaoke.” He handed the microphone back to Matt and took Keith’s hand again.

Keith stared up at him skeptically as they made their way to the smaller room. Not everyone fit into the mid-sized space, but the door was open wide enough for most of them to see. “Oh no.” Keith grumbled.

“Oh yeah!” A familiar taunting tone called in response. The music started again and everyone watched in varying degrees of amusement (Shiro) and horror (Keith) as Lance, clad in a hot pink tuxedo, started singing.

He belted out the butchered tone of _YMCA_ as Shiro tried his best to get Keith to dance along. After some ribbing by his new husband and both Holt siblings, Keith finally weakly started performing the movements along with most everyone else. As the song ended, Lance hopped down off of the makeshift stage and handed the mic to the next person in line. “There you go, my wedding present to the happy couple.” He said with a bow.

Keith sighed. “I’m calling security.” He muttered.

“Well I think you should call the fire department, because you are smoking tonight!” He said flirtatiously. Keith was about to flip him off with his newly minted ring finger before he realized that Lance was looking at Pidge.

She rolled her eyes. “You spent a week trapped in a room with me and didn’t say hardly a single word and now you’re trying to flirt?” She scoffed.

He recognized her voice right away. “What!? Oh my god, you’re a girl?” He shrieked. “A really hot girl?” Pidge groaned and walked away, back out onto the main dancefloor. Keith and Shiro both snickered as Lance stared after her. “Wow, how did I miss that?” He mumbled under his breath in awe.

Shiro took pity on him and clapped a hand onto his shoulder. “Thanks for coming man, that was really fun.” He said with a grin.

Lance brightened back up right away. “Sure, no problem. It was really fun. I’m super happy for you guys.”

Keith sighed at the pleading look from Shiro. “Your card and all the stuff you sent over for Shiro was really thoughtful. You’re an ok guy.” He admitted begrudgingly.

“You know what? I’ll take it!” He stuck a hand out for Keith to shake and was a little surprised when Keith actually took it. They shook hands and even agreed to a duet later.

..

It was nowhere near their first date but Matt still had butterflies in his stomach as he swayed along with Allura, gently twirling her with a laugh. “This is lovely, Matt. You all did such a good job with the wedding planning.”

He grinned back and leaned in to kiss her nose. “It turned out so well, Shiro and Keith are so excited.” He turned his head to where they were dancing together, still only with eyes for each other. “And the pictures Coran took are gonna turn out great, that was an awesome suggestion.”

Allura tilted them away from another couple that was more than a little tipsy with a side eye. “Yes, he’s a great photographer. How he finds the time, I haven't a clue.” She admitted with a smile.

“So uh…” Matt started after a few moments of dancing along again. “What do you think, about all this?” He asked, tips of his ears turning pink.

Allura gave him a strange look. “I just said it was lovely, dear.” She replied.

“No, no. Not this specifically.” Matt cringed a little. “The uh… the whole marriage thing?” His voice cracked and he cleared his throat.

Allura stopped dancing and dropped her hands, looking at him in surprise. “Are you… asking me?”

Matt held his hands up and shook them. “Not here, not right now. I mean? At someone else’s wedding, that’s so tacky.” He paused to take a deep breath. “But just, hypothetically, what is your expert medical opinion about the uhhh likely prognosis if your boyfriend, maybe, were to start planning a proposal?”

Allura covered her mouth with a hand, giggling. “I’d say the prognosis looks quite favorable. Though the treatment would be a long one. Perhaps we should discuss this more in my office?” Her cheeks were almost as pink as her dress as she gave a playful wink.

Matt faltered a little. “I lost the metaphor. Treatment?” He stepped closer and put his hands back on her hips.

She wrapped her arms around him, leaning in and pressing her lips to his lightly. “The engagement.” She whispered.

He nodded. “Right, yeah.” A nervous chuckle escaped his lips. “Wow. Wow ok.”

Allura gave another laugh as she set her head on his shoulder, coaxing him into continuing their dance.

..

Just after midnight, more than a little tipsy, Shiro and Keith arrived back at their apartment. Matt had played chauffeur and reminded them that they were leaving at 7am sharp for the airport the next morning. Shiro put his hand in front of Keith as he unlocked the front door on his third try. “Baby, wait.” Shiro said. Keith looked up at him expectantly. “Do you want me to carry you?” He continued with cheeky grin.

Keith scoffed. “How about _I_ carry _you_?” He asked. Shiro’s eyes sparkled mischievously as he wrapped his arms around Keith’s shoulders. “Come on, do it.” Keith goaded.

Shiro laughed and jumped up, wrapping his legs around Keith’s waist. It was a little awkward, but Keith managed to waddled inside with a firm grip on the backs of Shiro’s thighs. Once inside, Keith tried to kick the door shut behind him almost tipping forward just as Shiro leaned over Keith’s shoulder to push it closed. They both laughed as Shiro hopped down and leaned in for a sloppy kiss. “Welcome home, Mr. Shirogane.” He said with a laugh as he held up his hand, wiggling his fingers to make his band sparkle in the dim light.

Keith bumped their noses together lightly. “Welcome home, yourself, Mr. Shirogane.” He replied. Shiro laughed and scooped him up into his arms, carrying him to the bedroom.


End file.
